Translating Evidence Into Practice via Social Media: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

BackgroundApproximately 80% of research evidence relevant to clinical practice never reaches the clinicians delivering patient care. A key barrier for the translation of evidence into practice is the limited time and skills clinicians have to find and appraise emerging evidence. Social media may provide a bridge between health researchers and health service providers.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of social media as an educational medium to effectively translate emerging research evidence into clinical practice.MethodsThe study used a mixed-methods approach. Evidence-based practice points were delivered via social media platforms. The primary outcomes of attitude, knowledge, and behavior change were assessed using a preintervention/postintervention evaluation, with qualitative data gathered to contextualize the findings.ResultsData were obtained from 317 clinicians from multiple health disciplines, predominantly from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, India, and Malaysia. The participants reported an overall improvement in attitudes toward social media for professional development (P<.001). The knowledge evaluation demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge after the training (P<.001). The majority of respondents (136/194, 70.1%) indicated that the education they had received via social media had changed the way they practice, or intended to practice. Similarly, a large proportion of respondents (135/193, 69.9%) indicated that the education they had received via social media had increased their use of research evidence within their clinical practice.ConclusionsSocial media may be an effective educational medium for improving knowledge of health professionals, fostering their use of research evidence, and changing their clinical behaviors by translating new research evidence into clinical practice.

Use of social media for communicating about critical care topics: A Norwegian cross‐sectional survey

“…Facebook is described as the most gender‐ and age neutral SoMe‐platform, indicating the potential for using Facebook to share professional content among health care providers. In a mixed method study among 317 health clinicians (mainly physicians and physiotherapists), the participants reported an overall improvement in attitudes toward SoMe (Twitter and Facebook) for professional development and an increase in knowledge . Furthermore, 70% of the respondents indicated that the education they received through SoMe had changed the way they practice, or intended to practice .…”

“…In a mixed method study among 317 health clinicians (mainly physicians and physiotherapists), the participants reported an overall improvement in attitudes toward SoMe (Twitter and Facebook) for professional development and an increase in knowledge . Furthermore, 70% of the respondents indicated that the education they received through SoMe had changed the way they practice, or intended to practice . If Facebook is useful to improve standards of critical care in the ICU remains unsettled and should be explored in future studies.…”

Continuing Professional Development via Social Media or Conference Attendance: A Cost Analysis

“…The detailed methods of this study are provided elsewhere [13]. In brief, this arm of the study invited participation from clinicians who were interested in musculoskeletal care.…”

“…To help contextualize a social media post of this nature, a screen-image of an example is provided in Figure 1 taken from the Twitter-based short course within another arm of this research [13]. …”

Disseminating research information through Facebook and Twitter (DRIFT): presenting an evidence-based framework

“…Other published literature discusses the dissemination of information to the professional or policy maker, suggesting that this is a low cost and effective mechanism (Tunnecliff et al, 2016;Kapp et al, 2015;Terras, 2012). This literature identifies that many professionals are wary of the risks associated with social media [confidentiality, privacy, trustworthiness & quality of information] (Lofters et al, 2016;Tunnecliff et al, 2015;Grande et al, 2014;Kapp et al, 2015;Maloney et al, 2015;Terras, 2012.) Conversely, Grande et al (2014) found that while 21% of their clinical participants claimed to 'blog' about their research, many clinicians were uncertain about the efficiency and evidence base of social media as a dissemination method, the perceptions of the wider academic population and unfamiliar with the software.…”